6 minute read
Tiny Houses with Grand Plans
Proud of their achievements, Hiroshi Miyamura High School students and staff share experiences of their Tiny House project during the Gallup-McKinley County Day in the Santa Fe Roundhouse Rotunda on January 30, 2020. All photos by Myke Groves unless otherwise stated.
Pathways to Success T wo rows of high school students with construction hard hats perched on their heads and wearing T-shirts that read “I’m a Tiny House Builder in Training,” wait patiently at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, ready to present a session about their project. In conjunction with Gallup-McKinley County Day on January 30, about 20 students made the trek to the capital.
Tiny Houses. Constructed by Gallup’s Hiroshi Miyamura High School students, these 8’x30’ houses are small compared to regular housing standards. Students install electrics, plumbing, a full kitchen and bathroom, plus a metal roof. The eco-friendly house comes with two large windows. Senior Joshua Salazar, foreman for this project, admits the bathroom is a bit small for him at 6’4.” But, he quickly adds, the tiny house meets road transpor
April 2020 • enchantment.coop tation standards, making it portable. And teenagers did it all.
Next year, they’re hoping to build two. “We’re still at the infancy stage of this program,” says McFarland, “but we’re teaming up with colleges and tying into their programs, especially business.”
Gallup-McKinley County Schools This Tiny Houses Project was kicked off in 2019 with many students participating. This year, it’s juniors and seniors, but lower classmen will be on board soon. According to McFarland, they plan to auction off the fully-furnished tiny home, with a $12,000 beginning bid. Proceeds will go toward two more tiny houses to be built next year. One will be donated to a Veterans’ organization for homeless vets, the other sold to help fund more tiny houses. The best part, he says, all these efforts stay in the community.
Photos, top, left to right: Of all the program trades offered, Junior Michaela Chavez especially loves to weld. She plans to become a professional welder after high school. Senior Kyla Dawes’ newly acquired plumbing, welding and construction skills are valued at her all-female home. Gallup’s Hiroshi Miyamura High School students build a tiny house. Photo courtesy of Gallup-McKinley Schools.
Yes, We Can Building is not just a “guy” thing. Michaela Chavez, a junior, says she’s learned a variety of trades through this program. “Welding,” she emphasizes is her favorite. While she also enjoys plumbing, she’s decided to become a professional welder. And she’s not the only girl in the class. According to Principal McFarland, between 35 to 40 percent of the students in the program are female. Kayla Dawes, a senior, states, “We are all women at my house. (This program) allows me, as a woman, to do what usually only men do. Now I can do.” She reports she helps out at home by doing plumbing and welding. Helping shore up the family home with use of a hammer and nails is something she enjoys.
Building tiny houses provides students not only with skills they can use as adults, but a sense of pride. Students
Thoreau High School students reveal how the Pathways Automotive Program impacts their lives during Gallup-McKinley County Day at the Roundhouse Rotunda in Sante Fe on January 30, 2020. Left to right: Jerome Begay, Daniel Herrera, Tyrell Tahe, Elijah Woody, and Teacher Ronald Willie.
Lawrence Sena, principal at Thoreau High School northeast of Gallup and part of the Gallup-McKinley County School District, says their Pathways program is focused on automotive technology. “We want students to be productive members of society,” and one way to do that is through fixing vehicles. Regional colleges are now offering Associate degrees in automotive technology and the Thoreau students are ready. Some will receive college credit before graduating high school. Ronald Willie, automotive teacher at Thoreau High School, beams when speaking about his students. “This (his elective automotive class) is a place where they can vent, enjoy things and engage with each other.” He nods at the four boys standing with him. “They’re willing to learn with their hands.”
Student Tyrell Tahe explains about his participation in automotive class. “It’s hands on. Times change and we learn. It’s a good class.”
learn to think outside the box to create solutions to problems. For example, McFarland says, the shark tank for engineering came up with solar hot water generators and exercise equipment that generates power for washing machines. “Traditional houses are expensive, and what better way to solve that problem than to put creative heads together to come up with affordable solutions?” Hiroshi Miyamura High School students endorse the Pathways program. Senior Ethan Williams says after building a CO2 car, then a dog house, he got the “passion for building” through the school. With a tiny house now under his belt, he’s seriously considering a career as an architect.
In January at the capital, Hiroshi Miyamura High School students discuss how the Pathways program has influenced their lives as well as their plans for the future.
Joel Hillis, who plans to become an FBI agent, says his teacher, Steven Yoder, taught him how to fix things. “It’s good to know. It helps us in the world. Fixing things comes in handy.” He says of the program, “It’s amazing. It’s great,” and flashes an ear-to-ear smile.
Senior Mathias Ortiz has won statewide accolades in collegiate electric skills competitions. “We’ve learned how to install, to plumb and not to be electrocuted,” he jokes as the group laughs its acknowledgement. “I know how to erect a wall, how to shingle. We can build our own houses,” he says. “There are so many applications.” Ortiz plans to become an electrician.
This program brings students and teachers together in a way the traditional educational system can only dream of. In these elective classes, students not only hold construction tools in their hands, but create something tangible. They learn about themselves and each other. “I
April 2020 • enchantment.coop trust him,” says Hillis, regarding teacher Steven Yoder.
Principal McFarland says of the program, “It brings kids to our building so they can relate to the core classes (Literature, Math, History) and to the various Pathways.” In building tiny houses, says McFarland, “It brings learning to life. It creates a bridge.”
Personal Note As a school teacher in a previous life, I always wondered if my lessons ever made a difference.
On this day at the Roundhouse as I interview students in front of their principal and teachers, I rather dare them to tell the truth, asking how they really feel about the Pathways program.
Without mumbling or hiding shyness, all enthuse this program is a big reason they attend school. They openly thank their teachers for helping them. Turns out, teachers do make a difference.
“Students who successfully complete the Pathways program also receive safety certificates—a hard-won prize. Teacher Steven Yoder says not only does the program promote hands-on-learning, but emphasizes safety first."
